Kurt Vonnegut Exhibit on Display in KIND Gallery

INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 23, 2024) – Indianapolis Airport Authority officials, along with representatives of the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library and other community leaders, gathered earlier this week to celebrate the new KVML exhibit in the KIND Gallery. The exhibit is now on display through the end of the year.

The KIND Gallery at the Indianapolis International Airport (IND) is part of the Indy airport’s larger terminal optimization initiative that showcases the culture, tastes and talents of the Indianapolis community.

“Kurt Vonnegut loved Indianapolis, and Indy loves Kurt,” said IAA Executive Director Mario Rodriguez. “Having his legacy on display in our KIND Gallery is an honor and demonstrates the great talent and gifts of our broad and diverse Hoosier family.”

Last evening’s KVML event included remarks from officials with the Indy airport, KVML and the Indy Arts Council, as well as a jazz music performance from the Cohen-Rutkowski Duo and pop-up literature on vintage typewriters from Antiquated Arts. Local artists whose artwork is currently on display throughout the terminal shared more about their exhibits and the Indy airport provided an art tour.

The new KVML exhibit features memorabilia and works in tribute to the life, literature and influence of iconic Hoosier Kurt Vonnegut. The exhibit highlights the story of Vonnegut’s life and influence, from his upbringing in Indianapolis to his time as a prisoner of war during World War II to his journey to becoming one of the greatest and most beloved writers of the 20^th Century.

The IAA and KVML teamed up previously in 2020 to exhibit The Legacy of Kurt Vonnegut as part of the Indy airport’s Celebrating Indiana Artists digital initiative.

Vonnegut is noted for his love and respect for his fellow Hoosiers, which is best summed up in his famous quote: “I don’t know what it is about Hoosiers, but wherever you go there is always a Hoosier doing something very important there.”

“Kurt loved flying into Indy,” said KVML Founder and CEO Julia Whitehead. “Now to have his life, works and memory on exhibit prominently in the best airport in the country is a beautiful way to honor and share his legacy.”

To learn more about the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library, visit www.vonnegutlibrary.org/.

IND KIND Gallery and Arts Program

“The KIND Gallery is intended exactly for opportunities like the new Kurt Vonnegut exhibit,” said Megan Carrico, IAA senior director of public affairs. “It provides the chance to welcome travelers from around the world and give them a view into Hoosier community and culture. And it enables us to strengthen and grow our community partnerships with arts and culture organizations throughout the Central Indiana region.”

And those partnerships matter for tourism. In a recent airport engagement survey, airport officials discovered that travelers were 50 percent more likely to visit a local cultural institution because of viewing art at IND.

The KIND Gallery is a temporary gallery space, located at IND in Concourse A, that was created in partnership with the Indy Arts Council to bring new and exciting exhibits to the terminal. The gallery name was inspired by IND’s international airport code.

Previous exhibits have included “The Art of the Game,” along with “Staged!” Indianapolis performing arts, “Funky Naptown,” to celebrate the legacy of Indy soul music, film arts, Indiana arts educators, and other artistic ventures.

Carrico says the IAA believes in supporting a climate where art and culture thrive, which is made apparent throughout the Indy airport. Permanent and temporary art collections are displayed in both public and post-security areas throughout the airport. Many of the collections were created by artists who live in Indiana or have ties to the Hoosier state.

For more information about the KIND Gallery and the Indy airport’s arts program, visit IND.com/PublicArt.

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